To Enjoy Peace, Iran Must Abandon Its Nuclear Program

On June 21, local time, the United States launched a series of air attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities. It thereby joined Israel in attempting to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. With Iran fighting back, the global situation has reached a critical juncture.

US President Donald Trump announced the action that night from the White House. He declared, "Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's No 1 state sponsor of terror."

Trump also warned Iran to accept peace or face additional attacks. The peace he spoke of would be premised on Iran's abandoning the intent to possess nuclear weapons and the means to develop them.

Iran's Path to Peace

As a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Prolife r ation Treaty, Iran is not permitted to develop or possess nuclear weapons. To prevent an escalation of the current war, Iran must declare that it will never become a nuclear power. It must also prove its commitment. That means accepting inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the destruction of its uranium enrichment facilities.

*Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khamenei vows to retaliate. (Courtesy of the Iranian Supreme Leader's Office, via Reuters, Kyodo)*

Uranium fuel for nuclear power generation only needs to be enriched by a few percent. But Iran has been producing uranium enriched to 60% and higher. Indeed, Iran has rapidly approached the 90% nuclear weapons-grade threshold. Naturally, Israel and other nations became increasingly concerned that Iran would be able to produce a nuclear weapon in a short period of time.

Iran is the only country that publicly declares that it does not recognize Israel's right to exist. Consequently, there is considerable concern that if Tehran acquires nuclear weapons, it could use them to attack Israel. It could do so either directly or by furnishing them to pro-Iranian militants that it supports. Inevitably, that could lead to a nuclear war.

Like the Korean Peninsula in 1994

Unfolding now is a conventional war similar to what might have happened during the 1994 Korean Peninsula nuclear crisis. At the time, North Korea was first attempting to acquire nuclear weapons. The US, Japan, and South Korea, however, chose to overlook North Korea's potential for possessing nuclear weapons. But today, Israel and the United States have refused to stand by and watch as Iran moves toward becoming a nuclear power.

The global situation is in a state of dramatic flux. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government must strengthen communication with the Trump administration. At the same time, we must be prepared for the possibility that this series of events will lead to further crises.

tactical nuclear weapons nuclear deterrence — *Kim Jong Un provides guidance on North Korea's nuclear weapons program [KCNA photo via REUTERS]*

Such readiness goes beyond preparing to evacuate Japanese citizens from harm's way. Iran has ordered a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, although how it will do so is not yet clear. However, laying mines in the waters there, for example, could seriously disrupt Japan's energy imports.

In such an event, Ishiba may have to consider dispatching Maritime Self-Defense Force units to participate in mine removal operations. Terrorist attacks on US military bases and American citizens around the world are also possible. Security at US military bases and airports in Japan must be strengthened without delay.

Meanwhile, China is watching. We must remain alert for Beijing's exploitation of US military deployments to the Middle East, including intensified Chinese pressure in Northeast Asia.